Le Mississippi

This double CD comes with extensive notes (in French and English), providing a broad contemporary overview of roots music along the Mississippi river. The compilers have chosen well, providing strong examples of (mostly) century blues, folk, gospel, Cajun, brass and Mardi Gras Indian music. Many compilations of US vernacular music tend toward the generic, with big names and obvious recordings. Not here. There's a great African take on the blues provided by Afrissippi, formed after Senegalese musician Guelei Kumba settled in Oxford, Mississippi in 2003, and hooked up with local blues musicians. Other delights include Leo Welch (an 81-year-old gospel blues singer), Magnolia Sisters (Sarah Savoy's old-time Cajun music band) alongside better-known New Orleans stars such as jazz trumpeter Kermit Ruffin, urban funk machine Hot 8 Brass Band and legendary Mardi Gras Indian troupe The Wild Magnolias. There's also Minneapolis folkie Spider John Koerner, Cajun band Courtbouillon (pictured) and country bluesman Scott Dunbar. Not a bad track is included – anyone interested in vernacular music in the Southern US will find rich treasures here.